Voyage
by Aoyuki Hikari
Summary: Story written as a challenge for 31days. Date/Theme: Apr2. I am more land than water. Characters/Pairing: SerasxPip A/N: Manga-based. Their trip to Rio Janeiro had caused some problems for the younger vampire. Pip gives advice. Oneshot


**Voyage**

Seras bit her lip nervously. Her master had just informed her their new assignment to Rio Janeiro. But the mission wasn't the reason of her apprehension. His master briefed her their means of transportation and it meant trouble for her.

__

We need to travel by water, police girl. He had given her a reproving look. _You could have managed the journey if you weren't so stubborn._

"Daydreaming again, _mignonette_?"

Captain Bernadette spoke from behind her making her yelp in surprise. Clutching her chest and shaking with reaction, she glared at him. "Don't do that! You scared the life out of me."

Chuckling, he leaned against the post, his amber colored eyes raking her form appreciatively. "For a vampire, girl, you sure do lack some skills. Besides, that's impossible-- you are already dead." he pointed out.

"I am undead, idiot," she corrected, stung. "And I am not daydreaming," she informed him. Worry clouded her blue eyes as she remembered her predicament. "I was just thinking about something."

"Thinking. That's something new for you." Pip found himself crashing against the wall as the irate vampire girl struck him across the shoulder. He sat up, rubbing his head. "_Mon Dieu_, girl! Are you trying to kill me?" he demanded.

Controlling her temper, she pulled up the fallen leader of the Wild Geese impatiently. "I didn't mean to, you annoying git! It's just that I am thinking about the mission and my predicament-" she paused, biting her lip again, embarrassed. His master had reprimanded her more than once of her reluctance to drink blood.

__

You are no longer human, police girl. Refusing to drink blood wastes your capabilities.

Understanding dawned on the face of the Wild Geese captain. "Ah, you are more land than water, hein?" At the perplexed glance Seras gave him, he gave her a pointed glance. "Vampires have difficult time traveling by water, especially for weak ones." As if sensing his words hurt the younger vampire, he gentled. "Well, why don't you follow your Master's orders, _mignonette_? After all, the bat man knows his business." He drew one of his cigarettes and lit it, casually blowing out the pungent smoke towards her direction. He expected her to tell him off, as usual. _Really, these little arguments we have are becoming a habit._ To his surprise, she did not even give a sharp reprimand. Not even a breath of it. He stole a cautious glance at her.

She was staring down at her clenched hands, visibly shaking. Tears were clogging her throat as she strove for control. "I don't want to cause trouble," she whispered tightly, almost to herself. "But it's so hard to let go. I-I just…I just can't. Not yet."

Seras looked up at him helplessly. "What will I do now?" Pip was no proof of that helplessness and confusion the police girl was feeling. There were so many times that they had worked together that he had marveled of her strength. It was hard to believe something as lovely and tempting, he crossed out the term as his roving eyes fell on her fangs, could be a monster that could wipe the Wild Geese.

"Hmm…" Biting the cigarette end, he gave her a speculative look. "Why don't you just sleep through it? You know, just like when you get seasick?"

"It's not like sea sickness, you prat! And besides, I don't need a cabin; the coffin is enough bed-" she broke off as Pip suddenly grinned. She didn't like that grin the least. It meant he is up to some mischief and it always had something lascivious, like the time when he sang that stupid Eskimo song. "What are you grinning about?" she demanded.

"Well, simply put. Then it's solved." He grinned cheekily at her. "Tell me, _mignonette_, is your coffin big enough for two?"

She blushed furiously that she stuttered at this thought. _Master and me..._ "B-but Master has his own!" she stammered, protesting.

"Silly, it's not for the red git! I meant," he paused as he lowered his voice, caressing her cheek. "I can accompany you as morale support."

Her slap resounded the training ground.


End file.
